Head of Legal & Compliance

We are seeking “Head Of Legal & Compliance” for a leading multinational pharmaceutical company located on the Anatolian Side of Istanbul.

Role Overview:

As the Head of Legal & Compliance, you will lead the Compliance Program for the company, ensuring their operations meet legal requirements and align with the company’s ethical standards. You will serve as a trusted legal advisor to senior leadership, oversee risk management, and foster a culture of compliance across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and address gaps in the organization’s Compliance Program by recommending improvements and new measures to senior management, while overseeing and ensuring adherence to the program by all officers, employees, and collaborators, including approval workflow oversight and input on compliance-related activities.
• Develop, implement, and review policies and procedures to prevent and detect conduct that does not align with legal requirements or company policies. Provide guidance and support to internal teams on compliance and legal matters, including the Code of Conduct and anti-corruption standards.
• Assist in managing and implementing procedures and systems for Transfer of Value (ToV), including overseeing data collection and reporting, and collaborating closely with the designated representative for ToV.
• Lead compliance and legal awareness initiatives by designing and delivering employee training programs, and implementing communication strategies to prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct, in close collaboration with the Human Resources Department and other stakeholders.
• Escalate all legal and compliance concerns, including alleged violations of laws, policies, procedures, or other elements of the compliance program, to the direct superior, and support related investigations, audits, and inspections, ensuring that appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Manage contractual law matters, including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts, primarily related to purchasing, consulting, and other service providers
• Provide well-substantiated legal advice to the General Manager and senior department heads of a wide range of legal matters.
• Ensure corporate housekeeping and other legal tasks.
• Collaborate closely with European Legal and Compliance teams to ensure local implementation and adherence to regional and global legal, compliance, and ethics initiatives, while leading or supporting regional legal and compliance projects.
• Review and analyze legislation and regulations impacting the organization, and oversee compliance with all applicable legal requirements
• Provide advice and support on dispute resolutions and other legal matters, engaging external counsel when necessary
• Prepare and deliver relevant reports to company, such as the Quarterly Legal Report and the biannual Non-Compete Obligation List
• Develop and implement compliance monitoring plans approved by the direct supervisor and senior management, define responsibilities and accountabilities, and recommend corrective and preventive actions as needed.
• Assist with data protection matters in consultation with company Legal and the Data Protection Officer (DPO)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Law (required).
• Minimum 5 years’ experience as an in-house lawyer, compliance officer, or in a law firm.
• Pharmaceutical or related industry experience (preferred).
• Fluency in Turkish and English.
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• High integrity, ethics, and a collaborative mindset.
• Team player, open-minded, flexible,
• Takes initiative and solution-oriented approach
• Drive and motivation for self-development and learning, and to share knowledge and experience across the company
• Passion for innovation and compliance

Travel Requirements:

• Up to 10% within Turkey.
• Approx. 2 trips per year to European Legal & Compliance meetings.